On Wednesday, March 15, 2022, there was drama in virtual Court proceedings when a man emerged partially naked.
Sitting before Justice Lilian Mutende of the High Court Criminal Division, the man only identified as Maina startled the virtual court session when logging in half naked for the mention of a murder case.
The man’s actions and manner of dressing upset other lawyers who were on the Judiciary Virtual Platform and urged the judicial officer to order him to dress appropriately as the court ethics mandate on the dressing code of lawyers and other litigants who appear in court.
As a result, Judge Mutende sought to know if the half-naked man was a lawyer or a litigant. The man who wore no vest or shirt murmured inaudible remarks, causing the judge to turn off his camera for the rest of the court session.
The judge reprimanded the behavior and advised litigants to follow proper court etiquette. She instructed anyone who appeared before her to always dress appropriately.
The judge went on to say that virtual hearings are not an excuse to be shaggy and disrespectful.
The Wednesday dramatic scene is not the first as others litigants and lawyers have been in the past asked by judicial officers(Magistrates and Judges)to dress properly before logging into court virtual sessions.
